Wednesday, July 27, 2011

THE PRICE OF FAME

In the course of sixty-one years, I haven't really met that many famous people. Shoot, I haven't even been that close to many at concerts and stuff. I've crossed paths with a few modestly well known musicians, like Bo Diddley and Bob Lind, and a plethora of lesser knowns.

But by far the most famous individual I've ever actually met would have to be Vincent Price. That was in the early Eighties when he was doing a lecture tour on art. Price was certainly a well-rounded gentleman, a Renaissance man, and if I remember correctly he was actually (like yours truly) an art history major.

It's probably a good thing he went into acting instead of being a professor somewhere. Not that there's anything wrong with that!

So, I met him at a college while he was, in essence, teaching. I guess one can take the professor out of the university but one can't take the university out of the professor. Thinking back, I realize this was about a year after his voice appeared on Michael Jackson's Thriller.

Of course, I only met him briefly, as one does at such affairs. But heck, it was Vincent by golly Price! He had a rather full beard at the time but it looked good on him. In fact, it suited his face rather well -- he should have had more acting roles with one.

There was more to Price than acting roles, though. He was a man of wit and taste, of wide interests and a promoter of progressive social causes. One could do worse in naming a role model in just about any area of life. Except, of course, for his smoking which ultimately killed him. That's a real-life horror story for you.

I can't think of anyone else much of note that I may have met. If I did, I reckon they weren't important enough to remember!